Where else would I go?
by OTP324B21
Summary: Delphine is late for an appointment. This is a one shot.


Delphine looked through the microscope, scowling at the lack of reaction in the blood samples she was testing. She looked back at the print out she had, crossing out a few variables and scribbling angrily in one of the blank columns. Her phone began ringing and she scowled again, silencing it with a swipe of her finger. She prepared another slide with another blood sample. There was no change. "Merde!" Her phone rang again and she growled softly, ignoring it as she scribbled out her notes.

"You shouldn't ignore your phone."

Delphine didn't look up. "It's just Sarah." She stripped off her gloves and dropped them on the table. "I told her I would come."

"Then you should."

"She hates me." But even as she said it, she was putting away her samples, shoving her files in her bag. Delphine sighed softly, slipping out of her lab coat and hanging it on the hook beside Cosima's.

"You know I love you right?"

Delphine's hand paused on her black coat for a minute, having worn it every day since Cosima said it was her favorite. "Oui, I know." She slipped the coat on, straightening out the collar. "You'll be here when I get back, right?"

"Of course." Without even looking, Delphine could see the toothy smile. "Where else would I go?"

The cab ride seemed to take an eternity as it pulled up to the building. "Merci." She spoke to the driver as she handed over the fare, slipping her bag over her shoulder. Clouds had begun to gather and as a gust of frigid air blew by, she hugged her coat closer. Looking up, she sighed when she saw Sarah standing on the stairs. "Hello Sarah."

"You're late." The woman kept her distance, but opened the door for her. "They've already started."

"Sorry." Delphine nodded as she stepped inside. Being in a relationship with Cosima, she was used to showing up late. She was used to apologizing. The room was half full but she slipped into a seat in the row farthest back, looking up at the woman who was speaking.

"... I would not say to you that everything is all right. Because it's not and you know it. You hurt. And we know you will hurt for a long time..."

Delphine felt the lurch in her chest.

"... God made us so that we can have relationships with one another and when that relationship is lost we feel pain. You have lost a loved one - and it hurts..."

Her breath quickened as she listened to every word. This was wrong. She couldn't be here. "I cannot do this." Delphine stood up and quickly left, stepping out into the overcast day. With shaky hands, she pushed her hair behind her ear, frustrated that the breeze kept blowing her hair into her eyes. She would have pinned it back, but Cosima liked it down. She loved running her fingers through the curls when they were just in their down time, sitting in the lab sipping tea and waiting for tests to process. She ran her own hand through her hair, looking down the road either way for any sight of a cab.

"Where are you going?"

The harsh British accent ruined the voice she knew could be light and whimsical. "I have to get back to the lab."

"The lab?" Sarah pulled on the blonde's shoulder to stop her from signaling a cab. "Bloody hell, Delphine."

Delphine adjusted the strap of her bag. "We're in the middle of developing a new serum. Cosima is waiting for me."

Sarah froze. "What?"

Delphine shook her head, using the woman's pause to turn and attempt to wave down a cab. "She's waiting for me at the lab to find a cure." She closed her eyes to gather her composure.

"But..." Sarah grabbed her arm, stopping her before a cab could notice her. "Delphine, stop." She shook her own head. "Cosima is not there." She pulled the woman to face her, seeing hazel eyes shaking with emotion and brimming with tears. "Delphine..."

"No!" Delphine stepped back, away from the eyes set in a face that was so similar yet so different. "She promised me she'd wait for me."

"Delphine she's not there." Sarah shook her head, her own eyes filling with tears.

"No." Delphine moved further away when the woman stepped forward and for the first time since stolen wine, she turned and started running, her mind reverting back in time, the memory of a hand slipping into her own. She ignored the sound of her name being yelled behind her as her boots echoed off the pavement loudly. The cold wind helped to dry the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes as she stopped far enough away from the building, flagging down a cab. "Take me to the DYAD institute, quickly please."

She must have looked like a mad woman as she ran through the halls, but she ignored it. Her badge beeped and she entered quickly. "Cosima?" She looked around the lab, finding it completely empty. "Cherie?" She stopped at the brocade chair where a red coat was draped over the arm. With a lost expression on her face she picked up the coat, slumping into the chair and letting the memories wash over her.

_Cosima was staring at her with dazed eyes, the pain killers taking away the searing pain and allowing her to breath shallow breaths. _

_"Please don't leave me." Delphine held the frail hand up to her face, knowing the woman didn't have the strength to lift it. "I need you, ma cherie. Stay here with me."_

_Cosima smiled a weak smile. "Where else would I go?" Her voice was so soft that Delphine almost didn't hear her over the sound of the staggering heart monitor that suddenly switched from a pulsing beat to a long drawn out tone._

Taking a deep breath, she breathed in the scent of Cosima's perfume mixed with the lingering scent of marijuana. Only then did she close her eyes, letting the agony she felt overcome her. Sobs racked through her body as she hugged the coat close.


End file.
